IND vs ENG 1st ODI: Team India hopes to shake off T20I hangover as road to ODI World Cup begins | Cricket News

But the captain Shubman Gill Hold on to the idea that this is a new format, a new day, and a chance to start over. At the same time, he acknowledged the importance of this series, with the World Cup just 15 months away.“It is very different. The idea is that our World Cup preparations and the combination of wickets we get in South Africa will be similar to what we are playing here. So we will try to find the combination that suits us. In that sense, this is a very important series for us,” Gill said on the eve of the three-match ODI series opener.Talking about the combination, it was not an easy task for coach Gautam Gambhir and captain Gill. All-rounders Hardik Pandya, Nitish Kumar Reddy and Harshit Rana are all missing due to injuries. Although Prince Yadav has been appointed as Rana’s successor, he may have to sit on the sidelines. Gurnoor Brar or Prasidh Krishna may find their way into the XI after performing well in the three days of training. There will also be a tough decision between Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar.

The Indian team is training at Edgbaston ahead of their first ODI against England. (Photo courtesy: Tanuj Lakhina)

If the Nets are any indication, Dube bowled under the watchful eye of home bowling coach Morne Morkel. Rohit Sharma then spoke to the 33-year-old and appeared to provide some much-needed guidance to a player who has played just four games since his debut in 2019.Gill admits the need to constantly change the mix has become frustrating.“Players like this [Rana and Reddy]We want them to play as many games as possible before the World Cup so that if they get a chance to go to the World Cup they feel settled,” he said. “So in that sense we are a bit unlucky because now they are injured and we need to try another combination. The starting lineup we wanted before the series is no longer possible. In that sense we are forced to make some changes, but it is not an unstable lineup.

“Obviously we want players to gain more experience in big series such as England and New Zealand later this year. The more opportunities players get in high-pressure games, the better their chances of performing in the future.”Virat, Rohit and Bumrah cheer for IndiaOn the back of a series of frustrating results, it’s been a pressure cooker for the youngsters on the team. It helps that they have the support of Virat Kohli, who has played 311 ODIs, Rohit Sharma (285) and Jasprit Bumrah (89).

Virat Kohli trains at the Edgbaston Cricket Ground in preparation for India’s first ODI against England. (Photo courtesy: Tanuj Lakhina)

There is another layer of conspiracy between the three. Kohli, who missed the ODI against Afghanistan due to a hamstring injury, is back for the first time since the IPL final. Rohit arrived in England where he had an excellent ODI record, averaging 64.9 in the country, which rose to 89.4 at Edgbaston. Meanwhile, Bumrah will also be one to watch as he will play his first ODI match since the 2023 World Cup, ending a 968-day gap.When the two teams meet, a winning streak will be snapped. India has defeated England in five consecutive ODIs, winning by 100 runs and 142 runs in the tournament starting in July 2022. Meanwhile, England have won seven consecutive ODIs at Edgbaston since June 2015. This record includes 210 wins against New Zealand, 10 wins against Sri Lanka, 8 wins against Australia and 238 wins against the West Indies.For India, the focus of this series is not the final result but identifying the right team combination for next year’s ODI World Cup. Day one of the road to the 2027 ODI World Cup begins at Edgbaston. Are Gil and his friends ready?